Germany Increases Salary Requirement for EU Blue Card Applicants in 2025

Germany has increased the salary requirements for foreign nationals who want to obtain its EU Blue Card.

The new salary requirements became effective at the beginning of this year, and they will affect almost all foreigners filing an application for Germany’s EU Blue Card in 2025, Schengen.News reports. 

According to the German Federal Government, as of 2025, foreign nationals who already have a specific job offer from a company in the country need to earn a gross annual income of at least €48,300 to qualify for the EU Blue Card.

This means that the salary requirement for this group of foreign workers has increased by 6.6 per cent compared to 2024, when the minimum requirement stood at €45,300. 

Salary Requirement Has Also Increased for Foreigners in a Bottleneck Profession 
The authority further explained that the salary requirement has also increased for foreign nationals working in a so-called bottleneck profession, which includes IT, STEM, construction, and education sectors, among many others, who want to obtain an EU Blue Card. 

Those who are employed in a bottleneck profession will be required to have an annual income of at least €43,759.80 in 2025, up from €41,041.80 in 2024, to obtain the EU Blue Card, provided that their employment has been approved by the Employment Agency.

On the other hand, data from the German Federal Government show that the salary requirement for young professionals new to the labour market remains the same as in 2024 – €41,041.80. 

What Are the Benefits of EU Blue Card? 
The EU Blue Card is a scheme that gives the right to highly qualified workers from outside the EU to live and work in the bloc, provided that they have higher professional qualifications. 

The scheme, which offers work permits, comes with a number of benefits. Those who hold an EU Blue Card are able to change their employer without having to undergo extended procedures. 

Moreover, through the EU Blue Card, non-EU nationals are able to become long-term citizens of the bloc, enjoy more favourable conditions when it comes to family reunification, and have the right to work in another EU member state for a short period of time without a work permit, among others. 

However, applicants must meet several other criteria in addition to the salary requirements to obtain the EU Blue Card. 

In 2023, Germany issued a total of 69,353 EU Blue Cards, leading the list among the EU countries.

Source: https://schengen.news/germany-increases-salary-requirement-for-eu-blue-card-applicants-in-2025/